Processing device for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur

Abstract

A processing device for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur includes an evacuable processing chamber for receiving a substrate to be processed. The substrate has a metal layer and/or a layer containing metal. A heating device provides convective heating of the substrate to a predetermined temperature. A first source of elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is located outside the processing chamber and connected to the processing chamber via a first feed line and/or a second source of elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is located inside the processing chamber. The elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is guided past the metal layer and/or layer containing metal, chemically reacting said layer with selenium or sulphur in a targeted manner. The substrate is heated and the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is mixed and guided past the substrate by forced convection of a gas conveying device.

The invention claimed is:  
     
       1. A processing device for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur, comprising:
 an evacuable processing chamber for receiving at least one substrate to be processed, wherein the substrate to be processed has at least one metal layer and/or at least one layer containing metal; 
 a heating device for convective heating of the substrate to be processed to a predetermined substrate temperature; 
 a first source of elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor located outside the processing chamber and connected to the processing chamber via a first feed line and/or a second source of elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor located inside the processing chamber, wherein the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is guided past the metal layer and/or layer containing metal, under rough vacuum conditions or ambient pressure conditions or overpressure conditions, in order to chemically react said layer with selenium or sulphur in a controlled manner; and 
 a gas conveying device for generating a gas flow circuit by way of forced convection in the processing chamber, wherein the substrate is heated by way of the forced convection, and wherein the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is mixed and guided past the substrate by way of the forced convection; 
 wherein the heating device is arranged in the gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device in order to heat the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor in the processing chamber. 
 
     
     
       2. The processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas conveying device comprises an injection nozzle or a ventilator. 
     
     
       3. The processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the gas conveying device is arranged in an area of a front side of a stack of substrates in the processing chamber. 
     
     
       4. The processing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a tempering device that maintains at least one partial section of a wall that defines the processing chamber and at least one section of the first feed line at a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
       5. The processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the first source comprises a heatable and evacuable source chamber in which a crucible filled with melted selenium or sulphur mass is arranged, the device further comprising a line for pre-heated carrier gas such that the carrier gas is either guided through the melted selenium or sulphur mass according to a bubbler principle, or is guided away from the melted selenium or sulphur mass, wherein the crucible and the line comprise material that remains stable in selenium or sulphur, and are formed from ceramic, quartz, or corrosion-resistant special alloys or metals with corrosion-resistant coatings. 
     
     
       6. The processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating device is arranged in the gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device in order to heat a gas located in the processing chamber; and/or wherein a cooling device for cooling down a gas located in the processing chamber is arranged in the gas flow circuit generated by the gas conveying device; and/or gas diversion elements are provided through which the gas flow circuit can be diverted in such a manner that either the heating device or the cooling device is arranged in the gas flow circuit. 
     
     
       7. The processing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one device for pre-dosing of solid selenium and/or solid sulphur outside the processing chamber, and/or at least one transfer device for transferring solid selenium and/or solid sulphur into the processing chamber. 
     
     
       8. The processing device according to  claim 7 , wherein the transfer device comprises a second feed line and/or a sluice chamber containing a retaining device for solid selenium or solid sulphur. 
     
     
       9. The processing device according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one flow deflection device that can be pivoted or changed in its position, wherein the flow deflection device is a flow flap valve for targeted guidance of the inert gas over the surface of fluid or fluidized selenium and/or fluid or fluidized sulphur located in the processing chamber. 
     
     
       10. A processing plant for processing stacked substrates with at least one processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the processing device comprises a loading opening through which a substrate stack can be inserted into the processing chamber, and a discharge opening through which the substrate stack can be removed from the processing chamber. 
     
     
       11. The processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the evacuable processing chamber is configured to receive a stack of substrates, each of which having at least one metal layer or at least one layer containing metal. 
     
     
       12. The processing device according to  claim 3 , wherein the gas conveying device is a ventilator. 
     
     
       13. The processing device according to  claim 4 , wherein the tempering device is configured to maintain at the predetermined temperature the entire wall that defines the processing chamber. 
     
     
       14. The processing device according to  claim 9 , wherein the flow flap is configured for targeted guidance of the inert gas in a retaining device over the surface of the fluid or fluidized selenium and/or the fluid or fluidized sulphur located in the processing chamber. 
     
     
       15. The processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein an inner side of the processing chamber has a thermal insulation material that is resistant under processing conditions. 
     
     
       16. The processing device according to  claim 1 , wherein the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is mixed and guided past the substrate by way of the forced convection in a homogeneous manner. 
     
     
       17. A processing device for producing semiconductor layers and coated substrates treated with elemental selenium and/or sulphur, comprising:
 an evacuable processing chamber for receiving at least one substrate to be processed, wherein the substrate to be processed has at least one metal layer and/or at least one layer containing metal; 
 a heating device for convective heating of the substrate to be processed to a predetermined substrate temperature; 
 a first source of elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor located outside the processing chamber and connected to the processing chamber via a first feed line and/or a second source of elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor located inside the processing chamber, wherein the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is guided past the metal layer and/or layer containing metal, under rough vacuum conditions or ambient pressure conditions or overpressure conditions, in order to chemically react said layer with selenium or sulphur in a controlled manner; and 
 a gas conveying device for generating a gas flow circuit by way of forced convection in the processing chamber, wherein the substrate is heated by way of the forced convection, and wherein the elementary selenium and/or sulphur vapor is mixed and guided past the substrate by way of the forced convection, 
 wherein the processing device comprises a loading opening through which a substrate stack can be inserted into the processing chamber, and a discharge opening through which the substrate stack can be removed from the processing chamber.